Heat Pump Zone Control Using Weighted Service Calls
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional systems for controlling environmental parameters in buildings or homes often fail to provide adequate temperature control for individual rooms, leading to inefficiencies and increased costs due to the need for multiple thermostats and heating/cooling units, as a single centrally located thermostat cannot accurately manage temperature variations across different zones.
Innovation Solution
An electronic controller assigns weighting values to pre-defined zones, detects service calls from sensors, determines a cumulative weighting value, and selects appropriate staging combinations for heating, cooling, or ventilation equipment to optimize airflow and energy usage, allowing for flexible operation modes and prioritization of zone demands.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single centrally located thermostat is used to control temperature, then the system complexity is reduced, but the temperature control precision for individual rooms deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the building into multiple temperature zones, each with its own thermostat and control capabilities. This segmentation allows independent temperature control in different regions while using a single heat pump system, thereby maintaining simplicity while improving temperature control precision for individual rooms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements zone-specific temperature control by allowing different thermostats in different zones to set different temperature preferences. This local quality approach enables each room or area to have customized temperature control, improving precision without requiring multiple heat pump systems.
2Measurement precision
If multiple furnaces, air conditioners, and heat pumps are installed to service different rooms, then the temperature control precision for individual zones is improved, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple heating and cooling functions into a single heat pump system that can serve multiple zones. By combining equipment while maintaining zone independence through individual thermostats and dampers, the system achieves precise temperature control without the complexity and cost of multiple separate systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The single heat pump system is designed to perform multiple functions - heating and cooling multiple different zones - making it a universal solution that replaces the need for separate furnaces, air conditioners, and heat pumps for each room, thereby reducing equipment complexity while maintaining precision.
3Adaptability or versatility
If manually adjustable dampers and valves are installed in duct work to control airflow to different regions, then the adaptability to different temperature requirements is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to time-consuming adjustments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces static manually adjustable dampers with dynamic motorized dampers that can automatically adjust airflow based on real-time temperature demands from zone thermostats. This dynamic control system maintains adaptability to different temperature requirements while dramatically improving ease of operation through automation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback control where zone thermostats continuously monitor temperature and automatically adjust damper positions to maintain desired temperature setpoints. This feedback mechanism eliminates the need for manual adjustments while maintaining high adaptability to changing temperature requirements.
4Ease of operation
If manually adjustable dampers are set to a single position, then the ease of operation is improved, but the adaptability to different times of day and seasonal variations deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms static dampers into dynamic, motorized components that automatically adjust their positions based on real-time temperature demands, time of day, and seasonal conditions. This maintains ease of operation through simple thermostat setup while achieving high adaptability through automated response to changing conditions.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method to control environmental parameters of pre-defined zones within an environment using an electronic controller are disclosed. The system includes an electronic controller which enables a weighting value to be assigned to each zone within the environment. The electronic controller also detects any zone service calls from sensor devices associated with each of the zones and determines a cumulative weighting value in response to the detected zone service calls. The electronic controller selects a staging combination from at least two possible staging combinations in response to at least the cumulative zone weighting value.